The conventional electric saber saw includes a casing or body which houses the motor and a base plate is mounted on the body and is adapted to ride along the work surface as a cut is being made. A reciprocating cutting blade extends downwardly from the body through a slot or recess in the base plate and serves to cut the work surface as the saw is moved along the surface.
As the blade is relatively thin and is unsupported throughout its length, it tends to deflect or bend laterally so that the cut may not be truly vertical. In addition, the blade may also tend to bend away from a true fore-and-aft direction, causing the blade to wander and making it difficult to obtain a straight cut.
Because of this, a saber saw is used primarily for cutting holes in a work surface such as wall board or panelling, or making irregular shaped cuts. Straight cuts are usually made by use of a circular saw, but the average home owner may not be comfortable with the use of a circular saw due to the noise and the large, high speed, rotating blade. In addition, many homeowners do not have access to a circular saw, so that there is a need for an attachment which will enable the conventional saber saw to make a straight, non-wandering cut.